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Biomedical subjects

E P Mitchell

Publications and source records attributed to E P Mitchell.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary structure determination of glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (UgpG) from Sphingomonas elodea ATCC 31461 bound to glucose-1-phosphate.

The cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (UgpG) from Sphingomonas elodea ATCC 31461 bound to glucose-1-phosphate are reported. Diffraction data sets were obtained from seven crystal forms in five different space groups, with highest resolutions ranging from 4.20 to 2.65 A. The phase problem was solved for a P2(1) crystal form using multiple isomorphous replacement with anomalous scattering from an osmium derivative and a SeMet derivative. The best native crystal in space group P2(1) has unit-cell parameters a = 105.5, b = 85.7, c = 151.8 A, beta = 105.2 degrees . Model building and refinement are currently under way.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Oral capecitabine vs intravenous 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin: integrated efficacy data and novel analyses from two large, randomised, phase III trials.

This study evaluates the efficacy of capecitabine using data from a large, well-characterised population of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treated in two identically designed phase III studies. A total of 1207 patients with previously untreated mCRC were randomised to either oral capecitabine (1250 mg m(-2) twice daily, days 1-14 every 21 days; n=603) or intravenous (i.v.) bolus 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (5-FU/LV; Mayo Clinic regimen; n=604). Capecitabine demonstrated a statistically significant superior response rate compared with 5-FU/LV (26 vs 17%; P<0.0002). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that capecitabine consistently resulted in superior response rates (P<0.05), even in patient subgroups with poor prognostic indicators. The median time to response and duration of response were similar and time to progression (TTP) was equivalent in the two arms (hazard ratio (HR) 0.997, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.885-1.123, P=0.95; median 4.6 vs 4.7 months with capecitabine and 5-FU/LV, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified younger age, liver metastases, multiple metastases and poor Karnofsky Performance Status as independent prognostic indicators for poor TTP. Overall survival was equivalent in the two arms (HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.84-1.06, P=0.48; median 12.9 vs 12.8 months, respectively). Capecitabine results in superior response rate, equivalent TTP and overall survival, an improved safety profile and improved convenience compared with i.v. 5-FU/LV as first-line treatment for MCRC. For patients in whom fluoropyrimidine monotherapy is indicated, capecitabine should be strongly considered. Following encouraging results from phase I and II trials, randomised trials are evaluating capecitabine in combination with irinotecan, oxaliplatin and radiotherapy. Capecitabine is a suitable replacement for i.v. 5-FU as the backbone of colorectal cancer therapy.

Administration, Oral↗

Irinotecan in preoperative combined-modality therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer.

Irinotecan (CPT-11, Camptosar) is a semisynthetic water-soluble derivative of the plant alkaloid camptothecin. This review will focus on the potential use of irinotecan in combination with fluorouracil (5-FU) in the preoperative combined-modality treatment of advanced rectal cancer. The laboratory studies that define the mechanism of fluoropyrimidine- and camptothecin-mediated radiosensitization are discussed, and the rationale for combined-modality therapy using radiation with 5-FU and irinotecan is presented.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Oxaliplatin with 5-FU or as a single agent in advanced/metastatic colorectal cancer.

No adequate second- or third-line therapy is available in the United States for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer and disease progression following treatment with fluorouracil (5-FU)-based therapy and an irinotecan (CPT-11, Camptosar)-containing regimen, or a combination of the two. Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin), a new platinum analog, has demonstrated high activity in the treatment of colorectal cancer, especially when combined with 5-FU and leucovorin. The combination of oxaliplatin and 5-FU/leucovorin has been approved in Europe for the first- and second-line treatment of colorectal cancer. This compassionate-use study was initiated because of the unavailability of the agent in the United States and inadequate US safety data. The following review summarizes data from this ongoing study, the primary focus of which is to provide oxaliplatin for compassionate use until it receives US Food and Drug Administration approval and becomes available commercially.

Adult↗

Phase I clinical/pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic trial of the c-raf-1 antisense oligonucleotide ISIS 5132 (CGP 69846A).

PURPOSE: Raf-1 is a protein kinase that plays a broad role in oncogenic signaling and acts as a downstream effector of Ras in the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. The present study was designed to determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD), toxicity profile, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity of the c-raf-1 antisense oligodeoxynucleotide ISIS 5132 (CGP 69846A; ISIS Pharmaceuticals Inc, Carlsbad, CA). The effect of ISIS 5132 on c-raf-1 gene expression in peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of treated patients was studied using a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with refractory malignancies received ISIS 5132 as a 2-hour intravenous infusion three times weekly for 3 consecutive weeks. Pharmacokinetic sampling was performed during the first cycle in all patients; PBMCs for c-raf-1 mRNA analysis were collected at baseline and on days 3, 5, 8, and 15 of cycle 1 and on day 1 of each cycle thereafter. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients received ISIS 5132 at one of nine dose levels ranging from 0.5 mg/kg to 6.0 mg/kg. Clinical toxicities included fever and fatigue, but these were not dose limiting. A clinically defined MTD was not reached. The harmonic mean half-life of ISIS 5132 was 59.8 minutes (range, 35.5 to 107.3 minutes). The area under the concentration-time curve increased linearly with dose, and mean plasma clearance was 1.86 mL/kg/min (range, 1.21 to 2.41 mL/kg/min). Two patients experienced prolonged stable disease lasting more than 7 months, which was associated with persistent reduction in c-raf-1 expression in PBMCs. Significant decreases in c-raf-1 expression were identified at time points after the baseline value (P <.05) at doses >/= 2.5 mg/kg. CONCLUSION: ISIS 5132 is well tolerated at doses up to 6.0 mg/kg when administered as a thrice weekly 2-hour infusion for 3 consecutive weeks. The pharmacokinetic behavior of the drug is reproducible, and suppression of target gene expression is observed in circulating PBMCs.

Adult↗

ID14 'Quadriga', a Beamline for Protein Crystallography at the ESRF.

The ESRF undulator beamline ID14 'Quadriga' is dedicated to monochromatic macromolecular crystallography. Using two undulators with 23 mm and 42 mm periods and a minimum gap of 16 mm installed on a high-beta section, it will provide high-brilliance X-ray beams at around 13.5 keV, as well as a wide tuneability between 6.8 and 40 keV. Based on the Troika concept, this beamline has four simultaneously operating experimental stations: three side stations, EH1, EH2 and EH3, using thin diamond crystals, and an end station, EH4, with a fast-scan double-crystal monochromator. Station EH3 has a kappa-diffractometer, and an off-line Weissenberg camera with a large 80 x 80 cm active area combined with a 2048 x 2048 CCD detector. During data collection the image plates are placed and removed by a robot located inside the hutch using a cassette system. After data collection the image plates are scanned with an off-line drum scanner. Station EH4 is designed for MAD applications, including Xe K-edge anomalous experiments, and is equipped with a 2048 x 2048 CCD detector on a pseudo 2theta arm. A common graphical user interface and a database will be available to cover all aspects of data collection, including strategy optimization. First results on the performance of the optics elements and initial crystallographic results are presented.

Journal Article↗

Advances in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women in the United States. In 1997, it is estimated that 131,200 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed and 54,900 deaths will occur due to the disease. Although the tumor is localized at the time of diagnosis and resection with curative intent is possible in approximately 75% of patients, more than a third will develop disease recurrence. Consequently, almost half of all patients with colorectal cancer will die of metastatic disease.

Journal Article↗

Role of carcinoembryonic antigen in the management of advanced colorectal cancer.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was first described more than three decades ago, when its presence was demonstrated in fetal gut tissue and in tumors from the gastrointestinal tract. Subsequently, CEA was detected in the circulation of patients and recognized as a serum marker for colorectal cancer. In the early diagnosis of disease recurrence following surgical resection, a serial increase in CEA level is the first evidence of tumor. In patients with disseminated tumors, serial determinations are useful for monitoring response to therapy. Carcinoembryonic antigen values decrease with effective treatment, while they increase with disease refractory to therapy or progressive metastases, yet the utility of CEA in the management of patients with advanced colorectal cancer remains controversial.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Ternary complex crystal structures of glycogen phosphorylase with the transition state analogue nojirimycin tetrazole and phosphate in the T and R states.

Catalysis by glycogen phosphorylase involves a mechanism in which binding of one substrate tightens the binding of the other substrate to produce a productive ternary enzyme-substrate complex. In this work the molecular basis for this synergism is probed in crystallographic studies on ternary complexes in which the glucosyl component is substituted by the putative transition state analogue nojirimycin tetrazole, a compound which has been established previously as a transition state analogue inhibitor for a number of glycosidases. Kinetic studies with glycogen phosphorylase showed that nojirimycin tetrazole is a competitive inhibitor with respect to glucose 1-phosphate and uncompetitive with respect to phosphate. Ki values for the phosphorylase-AMP-glycogen complex and the phosphorylase-AMP-glycogen-phosphate complexes are 700 microM and 53 microM, respectively, indicating that by itself norjirimycin tetrazole has poor affinity for glycogen phosphorylase but that phosphate substantially improves the binding of norjirimycin tetrazole. X-ray crystallographic binding studies to 2.4 A resolution with T state phosphorylase b crystals showed that nojirimycin tetrazole binds at the catalytic site and promotes the binding of phosphate through direct interactions. Phosphate binding is accompanied by conformational changes that bring a crucial arginine (Arg569) into the catalytic site. The positions of the phosphate oxygens were definitively established in X-ray crystallographic binding experiments at 100 K to 1.7 A resolution using synchrotron radiation. X-ray crystallographic binding studies at 2.5 A resolution with R state glycogen phosphorylase crystals showed that the protein atoms and water molecules in contact with the nojirimycin tetrazole and the phosphate are similar to those in the T state. In both T and R states the phosphate ion is within hydrogen-bonding distance of the cofactor pyridoxal 5'-phosphate group and in ionic contact with the N-1 atom of the tetrazole ring. The results are consistent with previous time-resolved structural studies on complexes with heptenitol and phosphate. The structural and kinetic results suggest that nojirimycin tetrazole in combination with phosphate exhibits properties consistent with a transition state analogue and demonstrate how one promotes the binding of the other.

1-Deoxynojirimycin↗

A phase I/II trial of etoposide and cisplatin in extensive small cell lung cancer: a cancer and leukemia group B study.

Patients with untreated extensive small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with CALGB performance scores 0-2 were treated with etoposide 200 mg/m2/day on days 1-3 and cisplatin doses of 20, 30, or 35 mg/m2/day days 1-3 in a Phase I/II format. Of the nine patients treated at the 35 mg/m2/day cisplatin dose in the Phase I portion of the study, Grade 4 leukopenia occurred in five patients and Grade 4 thrombocytopenia in four. There were two deaths due to myelosuppression and sepsis. This dose was thus considered the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), and a Phase II trial was then conducted using this treatment program. In the Phase II trial of 39 patients, the objective response rate was 67% (95% confidence interval, 50-81%) with 21% complete responses (CI 9-36%). Median survival was 10.5 months. Grade 4-5 leukopenia was seen in 57% and Grade 4-5 thrombocytopenia in 56%. The MTD defined by this Phase I trial represents a 67-100% increase in etoposide and a 32-42% increase in cisplatin dosage compared to prior studies. The observed objective response rates with this regimen are comparable to studies using conventional doses, but hematological toxicity was higher.

Adult↗

Glucose analogue inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase: from crystallographic analysis to drug prediction using GRID force-field and GOLPE variable selection.

Several inhibitors of the large regulatory enzyme glycogen phosphorylase (GP) have been studied in crystallographic and kinetic experiments. GP catalyses the first step in the phosphorylysis of glycogen to glucose-l-phosphate, which is utilized via glycolysis to provide energy to sustain muscle contraction and in the liver is converted to glucose. alpha-D-Glucose is a weak inhibitor of glycogen phosphorylase form b (GPb, K(i) = 1.7 mM) and acts as a physiological regulator of hepatic glycogen metabolism. Glucose binds to phosphorylase at the catalytic site and results in a conformational change that stabilizes the inactive T state of the enzyme, promoting the action of protein phosphatase 1 and stimulating glycogen synthase. It has been suggested that in the liver, glucose analogues with greater affinity for glycogen phosphorylase may result in a more effective regulatory agent. Several N-acetyl glucopyranosylamine derivatives have been synthesized and tested in a series of crystallographic and kinetic binding studies with GPb. The structural results of the bound enzyme-ligand complexes have been analysed together with the resulting affinities in an effort to understand and exploit the molecular interactions that might give rise to a better inhibitor. Comparison of the N-methylacetyl glucopyranosylamine (N-methylamide, K(i) = 0.032 mM) with the analogous beta-methylamide derivative (C-methylamide, K(i) = 0.16 mM) illustrate the importance of forming good hydrogen bonds and obtaining complementarity of van der Waals interactions. These studies also have shown that the binding modes can be unpredictable but may be rationalized with the benefit of structural data and that a buried and mixed polar/non-polar catalytic site poses problems for the systematic addition of functional groups. Together with previous studies of glucose analogue inhibitors of GPb, this work forms the basis of a training set suitable for three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship studies. The molecules in the training set are void of problems and potential errors arising from the alignment and bound conformations of each of the ligands since the coordinates were those determined experimentally from the X-ray crystallographic refined ligand-enzyme complexes. The computational procedure described in this work involves the use of the program GRID to describe the molecular structures and the progam GOLPE to obtain the partial least squares regression model with the highest prediction ability. The GRID/GOLPE procedure performed using 51 glucose analogue inhibitors of GPb has good overall predictivity [standard deviation of error predictions (SDEP) = 0.98 and Q(2) = 0.76] and has shown good agreement with the crystallographic and kinetic results by reliably selecting regions that are known to affect the binding affinity.

Journal Article↗

Design of inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase: a study of alpha- and beta-C-glucosides and 1-thio-beta-D-glucose compounds.

alpha-D-Glucose is a weak inhibitor of glycogen phosphorylase b (Ki = 1.7 mM) and acts as a physiological regulator of hepatic glycogen metabolism. Glucose binds to phosphorylase at the catalytic site and results in a conformational change that stabilizes the inactive T state of the enzyme, promoting the action of protein phosphatase 1 and stimulating glycogen synthase. It has been suggested that, in the liver, glucose analogues with greater affinity for glycogen phosphorylase may result in a more effective regulatory agent. Several alpha- and beta-anhydroglucoheptonic acid derivatives and 1-deoxy-1-thio-beta-D-glucose analogues have been synthesized and tested in a series of crystallographic and kinetic binding studies with glycogen phosphorylase. The structural results of the bound enzyme-ligand complexes have been analyzed, together with the resulting affinities, in an effort to understand and exploit the molecular interactions that might give rise to a better inhibitor. This work has shown the following: (i) Similar affinities may be obtained through different sets of interactions. Specifically, in the case of the alpha- and beta-glucose-C-amides, similar Ki's (0.37 and 0.44 mM, respectively) are obtained with the alpha-anomer through interactions from the ligand via water molecules to the protein and with the beta-anomer through direct interaction from the ligand to the protein. Thus, hydrogen bonds through water can contribute binding energy similar to that of hydrogen bonds directly to the protein. (ii) Attempts to improve the inhibition by additional groups did not always lead to the expected result. The addition of nonpolar groups to the alpha-carboxamide resulted in a change in conformation of the pyranose ring from a chair to a skew boat and the consequent loss of favorable hydrogen bonds and increase in the Ki. (iii) The addition of polar groups to the alpha-carboxamide led to compounds with the chair conformation, and in the examples studied, it appears that hydration by a water molecule may provide sufficient stabilization to retain the chair conformation. (iv) The best inhibitor was N-methyl-beta-glucose-C-carboxamide (Ki = 0.16 mM), which showed a 46-fold improvement in Ki from the parent beta-D-glucose. The decrease in Ki may be accounted for by a single hydrogen bond from the amide nitrogen to a main-chain carbonyl oxygen, an increase in entropy through displacement of a water molecule, and favorable van der Waals contacts between the methyl substituent and nonpolar protein residues.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Immunoscintigraphy with 111In-satumomab pendetide in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma: performance and impact on clinical management.

PURPOSE: The role of immunoscintigraphy with 111In-satumomab pendetide in the medical and/or surgical management of colorectal cancer patients was evaluated in a multicenter trial. METHODS: This 103 patient study population included 46 individuals with rising serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels and otherwise negative diagnostic evaluation, 29 patients with known recurrence, presumed to be isolated and resectable, and 28 patients for whom standard diagnostic tests provided equivocal information. RESULTS: No adverse reactions were noted following intravenous administration of 1 mg of satumomab pendetide radiolabeled with approximately 5 mCi of 111In. Thirty percent of patients developed human anti-mouse antibodies postinfusion. In the 84 patients for whom correlation with histopathologic, diagnostic, and/or clinical findings was available, antibody imaging demonstrated a sensitivity of 73 percent in patients with confirmed tumor (36/49) and negative results for all 35 patients with no evidence of malignancy. Occult disease was detected in 18 patients. CONCLUSION: 111In-satumomab pendetide immunoscintigraphy was helpful in the medical and/or surgical management of 45 (44 percent) patients and provided information unavailable from other diagnostic modalities.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Modified nucleosides in human serum.

Methylated purines and pyrimidines derived from the degradation of transfer ribonucleic acid have been shown to be excreted in abnormal amounts in the urine of patients with cancer. Recent technology developed by Gehrke and Kuo has allowed the separation and quantification of modified nucleosides in serum using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array measurement. Serum levels of ten modified nucleosides were measured in 37 normal healthy adults to establish normal values and to correlate activity with age and sex. In addition, serum levels of patients with several malignancies were measured to determine activity in these diseases. Levels of modified nucleosides in normal individuals were consistently reproducible and showed no significant variation among males versus females or with age. Patients with malignant diseases showed consistent elevations and these were highest in patients with more advanced disease. The evidence of no significant differences in the mean levels of modified nucleosides in serum with age or sex in normal adults and elevations in patients with malignancies demonstrate the potential value of modified nucleosides as cancer biomarkers.

Adult↗

Immunoscintigraphy performed with In-111-labeled CYT-103 in the management of colorectal cancer: comparison with CT.

Immunoscintigraphy performed after intravenous administration of indium-111-labeled CYT-103, an immunoconjugate of monoclonal antibody B72.3, was evaluated in patients with suspected primary or recurrent colorectal cancer at 25 centers in the United States. Gamma camera imaging, computed tomography (CT), and confirmatory surgical exploration were completed in 169 of 227 patients who received single infusions of In-111 CYT-103. Eight patients (3.5%) had reversible, nonserious adverse reactions, and 39% developed antimurine antibodies. Surgery revealed that 155 of 169 patients had colorectal carcinoma. In these 155 patients, immunoscintigraphy and CT demonstrated similar sensitivity (69% and 68%, respectively) and specificity (77%). However, immunoscintigraphy had greater sensitivity in detection of pelvic tumors (74% vs 57%, P = .035) and extrahepatic abdominal tumors (66% vs 34%, P less than .001); CT enabled detection of a greater proportion of liver metastases (84% vs 41%, P less than .001). These results indicate that In-111 CYT-103 can be administered safely and that immunoscintigraphy performed with this agent frequently enables identification of extrahepatic abdominal sites of disease not visualized with CT.

Adult↗

Monoclonal antibodies in gastrointestinal cancers.

Although monoclonal antibodies offer great promise for treating patients with malignant disease, much research is needed in the future. The potential uses include antibody directed diagnosis and therapy in GI carcinomas. Through innovative strategies directed toward the application of chemistry of these biological agents, developments in the understanding of the mechanisms of oncogenesis and molecular biology, more sophisticated clinical applications of antibody directed therapies will change the scope of cancer therapy in the future.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Carcinoma of the anal region.

Longer follow up and greater numbers of patients will be required to determine the ultimate curative potential of surgery sparing regimens. Current reports suggest that combination chemotherapy and radiotherapy is equivalent to abdominoperineal resection. Furthermore, the incidence of local recurrence in most series suggests that abdominoperineal resection alone may be insufficient for locoregional control of disease. Patients with canal tumors who develop recurrent disease to inguinal nodes should be treated by groin dissection. Local recurrence of tumors at the anal margin can be satisfactorily treated by further local excision or by groin dissection if there are inguinal node metastases. Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of chemotherapy and irradiation in pelvic recurrence following abdominoperineal resection. Further clinical trials to develop more effective salvage therapy in visceral metastatic disease are needed.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗